Translators Anonymous

Anonymously famous since November 2012, this blog is run by two translators, most of whom are girls, who sometimes lovingly have a go at each other's languages. Sharing the everyday neuroses of translating. You can like us on Facebook (And you really should because there's a whole lot of discussion going on there.) Also visit our sister blog A Day In The Life Of A PM

[translatorsanonymous]

The British Drea

Type a phrase and watch it fall off a wall behind Theresa May

Type your own in the url...

[translatorsanonymous]

When you click “accept” by accident in spellcheck

[translatorsanonymous]

Friendly reminder that QA tools are supposed to be helpful, not make me spend ages justifying myself as if I don't know what I'm doing and a piece of software is somehow a better linguist than me.

[translatorsanonymous]

Analysis | A pro-Brexit editorial written in German has a problem: It’s literally gibberish.

The article, published in a British newspaper, aimed to reach out to Europeans. It failed.

"Who even needs translators, WE'LL SHOW YOU!!!"

(Disclaimer: I haven't read the original piece because I wouldn't touch The Sun with a ten-foot pole)

[translatorsanonymous]

When the client uses memes in their instructions

[translatorsanonymous]

When you find an error in a locked segment and you realise it was you who wrote it in 2011

[translatorsanonymous]

Really straightforward text but in a tool that thinks it’s from NASA

[translatorsanonymous]

'Client X came back.' 'Client Y came back.' Jesus is about to come back. Everyone comes back. Everyone, except my youth.

[translatorsanonymous]

Going to comment in the query portal for ALL the language teams and feeling like a Eurovision presenter. Hand me my sequins, I'm about to shout 'GOOD EVENING, EUROPE!

[just-shower-thoughts]

Learning a new language is like downloading an expansion pack to your brain that allows you to interact with new characters from different lands.

[translatorsanonymous]

CAT tool improvement suggestion

Some fanfare when I reach 100%. You know I deserve it.

[translatorsanonymous]

Things you randomly learn as a translator

In Taiwan, Ed Sheeran is commonly known as (local language equivalent of) 'Ed the Red Hair'.  :) <3

[translatorsanonymous]

“Are you available for 24 hours of LQA?”

[westernlariat]

13 years of school and im still not sure if its “grey” or “gray”

[overshareanonymous-blog]

It’s grEy in England and grAy in America.

[leporidsandphalluses-deactivate]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME I’VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THIS SINCE I WAS A FETUS AND IT’S LITERALLY THAT EASY?????

[thewindsatyourback]

WHAT ABOUT CANADA.

[oscaroolong]

grEHy

[bamspeach]

WHAT ABOUT AUSTRALIA…?

[nuggetlesschild-deactivated2019]

grG’DAYMATEy

[translatorsanonymous]

When even your Nordic neighbours find the Finnish language a marvellous mystery. (by the fantastic Ari Eldjárn) (Credit: RÚV)

Fellow Scandis will appreciate <3

[translatorsanonymous]

Garlic shrug

You musn’t forget to add lots of butter and parsley, and a touch of tarragon.

Scuse, I am vegan

[translatorsanonymous]

Submission

Our partners in France think our French website contains too much French.

I’m at a loss for words, so… Gallic shrug, eye roll

I misread this as GARLIC SHRUG...

Red admin